There is something I have noticed about life these days. New phrases or words are created for bad things so they sound “not so bad."
Modern slavery is a legal concept that serves as an umbrella for various acts of human exploitation like human trafficking, forced labour, cheating and work abuse, debt bondage, and so many others. Sometimes people are enslaved by their knowledge, and sometimes without it.
We have been made to understand that slavery has been abolished everywhere, but if we are being honest, the “modern” put before the slavery doesn't change a thing. If it wasn't slavery it wouldn't be called slavery, so no matter the difference in the intensity of slavery then and now so so-called "modern slavery,” it doesn't change the fact that slavery in any form is inhumane and horrible, and it still exists on a global scale.
And, sadly, I can use my country, Nigeria, as an example of one of the many places where slavery has been looked upon as normal. If you ask me, I would say that slavery is on a higher level right now than in the past.
Because while these other forms of slavery, like human trafficking for forced labor and sex work, that are generally frowned upon still exist and are done secretly, we still have the ones done openly in public.
And another thing I have noticed is how, apart from abuse and exploitation at work, most of these are targeted at children who have no one to support or protect them.
A very common one in Nigeria is domestic servitude, where children are trafficked or given out for housework. Sometimes, by their own parents, believing that the child being enslaved is being helped by the master, maybe for feeding or training.
While some are so evil the child doesn't benefit from anything, rather they collect payments and leave the fate of the child in the hands of whoever they gave the child to.
The biggest issue Nigeria has is child labor, especially in street hawking. While some children help their parents and hawk with them, don't be deceived because many of them don't have parents and have people who abuse and force them to hawk.
One of the major causes of modern-day slavery is poverty and unemployment, which is why many succumb to slavery.
Another is a lack of education and weak law enforcement. There are laws, but laws are useless when the government who are meant to help implement and execute these laws is just as corrupt as the human traffickers; some even influence the human trafficking network.
I can remember seeing a video this year of a governor walking on the road, and conveniently, there were three child hawkers every three steps.
He asked them if they went to school, and they all gave excuses for the school holiday. And he told them it is good to go to school and be hardworking, and walk passed.
Hardworking as in hawking? The entire act turned my stomach. He didn't even care enough to make the act look real.
As a country, we need to enforce and execute stricter laws against modern-day slavery. Create public awareness and educate the masses. Empower families with education and job creation to tackle poverty. The work needed is not only from the government but also from citizens; if humans want to stop slavery, all hands need to be on deck.
image generated by openai